There comes a time when a critically ill patient in an ICU setting fails to recover in spite of all possible treatment measures. The reason could be anything, worsening of the present illness, acquiring secondary complications, or minimal to no response to treatment. After all the efforts are exhausted, the relatives need to be told that there is no hope for the patient’s survival and they need to make a decision of taking the patient off the life support and discontinue the treatment. Some relatives understand the situation and take it positively while some don’t and backfire.
How do you handle such situations wherein there is a need to deliver a bad news? Do you follow any strategies for the same? Are there any legal implications in such situations?
